we saw that...

the great peabody - kkk controversy of 2009

recently a local blog took a photograph of the 2009 peabody magnet high school warhorse graduating class (they really need to update their website by the way) and used it to in a post to make a joke.

this isnt a critique on whether the joke was funny or not or on whether the post was appropriate or not as bloggers can and do post about anything they wish.

for those who dont know, the blogger is white and incidentally admits to being a member of david duke's ku klux klan -- although he now claims to be a "former member" and the peabody student body is majority black.

what we found surprising and even encouraging (so far) is that in the almost two dozen comments critical of the post -- some comments are from members of the 2009 class -- not one brings up the subject of race and/or tries to do an al sharpton and turn it into a racial issue.

to us this is a pretty good testimony of the kid's parents as well as the teachers and staff at peabody as well as the kid's themselves.

a couple of days ago another cenla blogger was critical of some local blogs and observed among other things, that some live a "make believe life" and that "some of them need to get into the real world and see how it operates."

however, as this one incident shows, bloggers can and do create -- as well as shape reality in -- "the real world."

it's a shame that the following quote is attributed to someone as despicable as karl rove, he was talking about the "american empire" but we think that it applies to bloggers and the blogosphere as well.

where mr. rove used the word "act" we have substituted the word "post:"

when we post, we create our own reality. and while you're studying that reality -- judiciously, as you will -- we'll post again, creating other new realities, which you can study too, and that's how things will sort out. we're history's actors . . . and you, all of you, will be left to just study what we do.'' ~ "without a doubt" by ron suskind, the new york times, 17 october 2004